West Bengal Govt To Stop Minority Welfare Schemes; Clears Rs. 3000 Aid & Free Bus Travel For Women From June 1

The newly formed West Bengal government led by Suvendu Adhikari made several major announcements during the state cabinet meeting held on Monday, including the rollout of the new 'Annapurna Bhandar' scheme for women, free bus travel in government-run buses and in-principle approval for the formation of the 7th Pay Commission.

The West Bengal cabinet also announced that religion-based government assistance schemes will be discontinued from June as the state government plans a major overhaul of welfare policies and reservation structures.

West Bengal Annapurna Bhandar Scheme Approved

One of the biggest announcements made by the West Bengal government was the approval of the 'Annapurna Bhandar' scheme under which eligible women beneficiaries will receive monthly financial assistance of Rs. 3,000 starting June 1.
Addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting, state minister Agnimitra Paul confirmed that the cabinet has formally approved the scheme.

"The cabinet gave a nod to the 'Annapurna' scheme of Rs. 3,000 monthly assistance to women from June 1," the minister said.

The government further clarified that women who applied for citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and approached tribunals for inclusion in voter rolls will also be eligible to receive benefits under the Annapurna scheme.

Free Bus Travel For Women In West Bengal

In another major welfare announcement, the West Bengal cabinet approved free bus travel for women in government-run buses across the state from June 1.

It is expected to benefit lakhs of daily commuters, especially working women, students and elderly passengers using state-run public transport services.

West Bengal govt is following the lead of several states across India who are increasingly rolling out women-centric welfare measures, including free transport schemes and direct benefit transfers.

West Bengal Approves Formation Of 7th Pay Commission

The West Bengal government also gave in-principle approval for the formation of the 7th Pay Commission for state government employees.

According to the cabinet decision, the proposed 7th Pay Commission will cover West Bengal government employees. Employees of government boards and corporations, Staff working in state-aided bodies, Employees of educational institutions and boards, School staff and allied statutory organisations.

The announcement has brought fresh hopes for lakhs of state government employees and pensioners who have long been demanding salary revision and Dearness Allowance parity with central government staff.

West Bengal Govt To End Religion-Based Welfare Categorisation

The Bengal cabinet also announced a major policy shift by deciding to discontinue government assistance schemes based on religious categorisation from June onwards.

"The Bengal cabinet decided to discontinue government assistance to groups based on religious categorisation from June," minister Agnimitra Paul said during the briefing.

The state government further announced that it has scrapped the existing state OBC list following the Calcutta High Court judgment and will now set up an inquiry panel to determine fresh quota eligibility criteria.

Existing Minority And Religion-Based Schemes In West Bengal

West Bengal currently operates several welfare schemes targeted towards minority communities and specific religious groups.
Some major schemes include:

Aikyashree Scheme: It is meant for minority students, including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis. It offers educational scholarships from Class 1 to postgraduate studies.

WBMDFC Schemes: The West Bengal Minority Development and Finance Corporation (WBMDFC) runs multiple schemes offering Soft loans for self-employment, Education loans, Vocational training & Stipends for minority communities\

Welfare Scheme for Purohits: The state government had also launched a welfare scheme for financially weak Hindu priests and tribal purohits in September 2020.

Political Importance Of The Announcements

The cabinet decisions were announced today, as major political and administratively positive for the newly formed West Bengal government. The announcements related to women's welfare, free transport and the 7th Pay Commission will directly impact lakhs of beneficiaries across the state.

At the same time, the decision to discontinue religion-based categorisation in government schemes is expected to bring a major political debate in the coming weeks.